He growled then. Rebecca smiled patiently, but she felt the power of the sound deep in her center. She’d never considered herself submissive, but around Kane, she found she could be. Wanted to be.
She forced those thoughts down, locking them deep inside. Thank God she’d had the foresight to pack the fuzzy bunny PJ’s at the last moment. What would have happened if all she had was the sexy silk nightie now tucked into a thick pair of woolen socks and hidden beneath a pair of jeans in her suitcase, the one she had bought during one of her moments of weakness when she allowed herself to consider the possibility that he might be interested in more than friendship?
Instead, she drew upon her courage and attempted to appeal to his reasonable side. She had expected him to give her a hassle about taking the couch, so she’d remained silent, knowing he would see that as passive acceptance. Until now, anyway.
“Don’t growl at me, Kane. This arrangement makes the most sense. It’s your cabin. I can fit on the sofa much more comfortably than you. Plus I’m sure sleeping in your own bed has got to be better for your hip.”
“You are not sleeping on the sofa.”
“And you are?”
Kane crossed his substantial arms over his chest, looking as immovable as a mountain. “Yes.”
She gave an exasperated sigh. “Very well.”
Eyes gleaming in triumph, he thought he’d won. At least until she started arranging the blankets on the floor.
“Now what are you doing?”
“Giving you the couch.”
He growled again, louder this time. “Damn it, woman. Why can’t you just take the bed?”
She slipped between the blankets on the floor and snuggled in. “And why can’t you just accept that I refuse to do anything that results in you suffering on my behalf? I’m used to sleeping on the ground, Kane, and believe me, this is a lot more comfortable than the majority of my accommodations over the last few years.”
He ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up in places, muttering something under his breath. She caught the words “impossible” and “woman” among several others she didn’t recognize.
“Of course...,” she paused in fluffing her pillow, ensuring she had his full attention, “... I might be convinced to sleep in the other room under one condition.”
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “And what would that be?”
“Join me.”
*
He stepped back as if she’d hit him. “No.” Or, more accurately, oh hell no. He was barely hanging on to his sanity as it was. To be in the same room with her was bad enough. To share a bed with her? Not happening.
“It is more than big enough for both of us,” she said reasonably. “I bet you could easily fit four or five normal size humans in there.”
“No.”
“You wouldn’t even know I’m there.”
“We’re not discussing this anymore, Rebecca.”
“I promise I won’t try to seduce you.”
“Jesus, Rebecca!” He turned around to see her looking at him, the very picture of innocence, marred only slightly by the devilish grin she was trying so hard to suppress.
Shit. There was a dare in that look if he ever saw one, a challenge she probably knew he couldn’t resist.
“Come on,” she coaxed, trying for a sexy pose and failing miserably, those damn cute and fuzzy bunnies mocking him. “You know you want to.”
Kane, the dominant alpha male, actually rolled his eyes. The truth was she looked beyond adorable. After the awkward end to their little exchange earlier he feared she may have been expecting more from him, or that he might have hurt her feelings. But looking at her now, covered from head to toe in little blue fluffy bunnies, he had to believe he’d simply been overreacting.
And there was no way she was going to just take the damn bed, given that mulish, defiant look she was giving him. He could just sling her over his shoulder, but he wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to let her go if he did.
He’d faced off against some evil, sick, merciless sons of bitches and hadn’t even blinked. So why was he balking? He could do this. Especially since it meant it was probably the only way she was going to get a good night’s rest. He, on the other hand, didn’t have a chance in hell either way.
Rebecca knew then she had won, and Kane was treated to one of her hundred-watt smiles. Hell, he’d sleep naked on a bed of nails if it got her smiling like that again.
He changed into loose fitting sweats and a T-shirt. Typically he slept nude, but he felt this was a necessary concession. It was hard enough to keep a lid on his self-control around her; he wasn’t sure he could restrain himself if his bare cock got anywhere near her. He was even tempted to remain above the covers, but when she lifted them in invitation as he came closer, he found himself unable to resist – against his better judgment, of course – and slid in as well.
He was very careful about how he slipped into the bed, over-exaggerating his movements to avoid touching her at all costs until she broke down into a fit of giggles and he had to turn away to hide his own grin until he could turn off the light.